Dark Fantasy’s Extra Chapter 197

“…Is this information reliable?”

Eric asked.

“When have we ever lied to you?”

Yorick replied.

“Without a doubt. He’s completely alone now, without any surveillance.”

“If you came personally, it must not be nonsense… But that’s precisely what makes it more suspicious.”

“My master believes this is the perfect opportunity to eliminate that lower-ranked hunter. He sent me to ensure the job is done properly.”

“I see… Of course, you must know where he’s heading?”

“Most likely to the Ivan Mountains in the far east.”

“Ivan Mountains? What business does he have there?”

“This is speculation, but I believe this time… he intends to kill Blanc.”

“Kill Blanc? What do you mean?”

“Blanc is extremely cunning. Though she follows him, she quickly runs away at the slightest hint of danger to herself.”

“…I see. So that’s why he’s going alone all the way there without any surveillance or companions. To lure Blanc there.”

“Exactly. And according to recent information, the Hunting Order has already dispatched people there.”

“A typical trap. He’s the bait… But that makes something else more concerning.”

“What would that be?”

“Everyone knows Charmol is obsessed with that woman Blanc. Surely he would have acted himself to protect her. So why send you to me?”

“My master knows Blanc’s abilities better than anyone. He thinks she could escape from such a simple trap if given the slightest opening.”

“And I’m to create that opening?”

“Don’t we both want him dead anyway? Besides, my master won’t just sit idle. He’s already dispatched three thousand troops to support your endeavor.”

“Three thousand…”

“Here’s the plan. Sir Eric, you’ll use those undead forces to attack the Ivan Mountains and throw the Order’s people into chaos, then take his head during the confusion. Blanc will escape on her own anyway, so that should be fine.”

“You think Blanc will just stand by and watch me kill him?”

“That too has been calculated. Blanc will ultimately prioritize her own safety. She’s never once sacrificed herself to protect a sacrificial pawn.”

“Hmm… True. No one knows Blanc better than Charmol, so that must be accurate. But Lady Rusalka wants Eugene kept alive. While I personally want to kill that human bastard, I can’t let my lord find out.”

“That’s… not our problem to solve, is it? Even we can’t do anything about the Sea Witch. That’s why we’ve prepared this much and laid the groundwork.”

“But I’m the one who has to execute it. Three thousand troops sounds impressive, but they’re all expendable. Obviously they can’t be anything special. In the end, you’re telling me to go alone with a bunch of puppet soldiers to where Blanc and the Order’s people sent to kill her are. The risk to me is too great.”

“Then are you giving up?”

“No. I’ll do it. I’ll take his head with my own hands. It’s my job to avoid Lady Rusalka finding out too. Just promise me one thing. Don’t steal his corpse or soul – destroy them completely.”

“…Of course.”

*    *    *

How much time had passed since entering the Ivan Mountains?

Time feels somewhat confusing in the mountains.

Moreover, with it being perpetually night, it’s even harder to tell.

In these conditions, I was searching for one small girl who could be anywhere.

She must be somewhere in this vast mountain range…

“Damn it. If only I had asked beforehand…”

I regret not asking the elite agents, but the longer the conversation, the greater the risk of raising suspicions.

From the perspective of not wanting to be discovered, it’s probably better I didn’t ask…

“Should I help you find her?”

Maia asked.

“No thanks.”

Of course, my answer is always rejection.

I can’t rely on Maia anymore.

Maia says she wants to be the protagonist of the next world, but personally, I really hope she doesn’t.

Because all the protagonists I created were failures.

Snow White’s story ended in winter.

Little Mermaid’s story ended in war.

Princess Bari’s story ended in despair.

Frog Princess’s story ended in destruction.

If Thumbelina’s story begins, where will it go and how will it end?

At any rate, if it’s a world I create, it will probably fail again.

I don’t want to let Maia meet such an end.

I still don’t dislike Maia.

Though I want to stop her from becoming a protagonist, otherwise she’s only helped me tremendously.

At least I don’t want to put someone I know into such a pit.

“But how long are you going to search? Won’t those guys come back later?”

That’s also a problem.

The elite agents won’t return until tomorrow at least, but they will come back eventually.

Moreover, when my colleagues from the Behemoth Tracking Special Department realize I’ve completely deviated from the mission, they’ll come looking too.

Everything became a mess the moment I came here.

I’ll surely receive severe punishment later.

Approaching a witch on my own will likely result in heresy charges, which is quite dangerous for someone like me who’s already been suspected multiple times.

But if I think about all those things, I can’t do this.

“…I’ll be able to find her.”

Though I hate to admit it, I should be able to find Vasilisa.

“Why? …Ah, of course. That makes sense.”

Maia must understand too.

I came here not as Eugene but as Noah.

No matter what I think, the system considers me Noah, which is why I can make Blanc retreat and sometimes silence Maia.

So if Noah wants to find Vasilisa, the system will make it happen.

By manipulating reality and fate.

“So you’re finally accepting it?”

“Just this once. After this is over, I’m going to erase everything about Noah and all that from my mind.”

“Once you cross a taboo, it’s no longer taboo. You know that, right?”

“…”

I know.

I know that.

But what else can I do?

I have no choice.

I must meet Vasilisa.

…And after meeting her?

“Life is longer than you think. The day will come when you have to choose. Whether to remain as Eugene or finally return to being Noah. And you’ve already returned to being Noah once. Think about it carefully.”

I just hope that day never comes.

As we continued wandering the mountains, the smell of blood wafted from somewhere.

“…”

When I glanced at Maia, she was smiling slightly.

Somehow that expression reminds me of Blanc.

I turned away from that and went toward where the blood smell was coming from.

It’s probably not human blood.

Not from a Beast either.

“…”

There was a large deer carcass and a girl sitting in front of it doing something.

The deer’s blood had pooled beneath them and was flowing like a river.

Long light purple hair.

A sky blue dress with water drop patterns.

Exactly as I remembered her.

“Ah…”

She quickly turned her head at the sound I unconsciously let out.

Even those pitch-black eyes were exactly like Vasilisa’s.

Though her face, height, everything was identical, for a moment I couldn’t be certain this was really Vasilisa.

Her eyes… those pupils…

“…Hello.”

I carefully approached while waving my hand.

“…”

The girl also stood up and turned toward me.

The front of her dress and around her mouth were covered in deer blood.

Glancing down at the deer carcass, its innards were exposed.

“I’m…”

“…Noah?”

“…!”

“Are you perhaps Noah?”

“Ah, well… I’m Eugene.”

“Eugene? So you’re not Noah.”

“Are you… looking for Noah?”

“Yes.”

“…Why?”

“Don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

“Yes. I’m not sure why, but I have to find Noah.”

“Do you know your name?”

“Don’t know.”

“…”

Has Vasilisa… lost her memories?

Vasilisa’s eyes when she was burning the world were filled with more dangerous madness than anyone I’ve ever seen.

But now there wasn’t the slightest hint of that ominous light in Vasilisa’s eyes.

They were clear and pure like when she was first created long ago.

Pitch-black eyes exactly like mine.

…Did I look exactly the same when I was Noah?

“What will you do when you find Noah?”

“Don’t know.”

At least Vasilisa shows no sign of recognizing me.

Well, thinking about it, if Noah and my current self looked identical, the other witches would have recognized me.

Maybe I worried for nothing.

“…”

“…”

A moment of awkward silence.

The most dangerous witch, a calamity that desires only destruction… none of that was present here.

There was only a confused girl who had lost her memories.

“…Thank goodness.”

My legs gave out and I collapsed to a sitting position.

Though it’s sad that Vasilisa lost her memories, I was overjoyed that at least she wasn’t consumed by madness.

After all, her madness was caused by me.

If she had continued suffering from it until now, there could be no more terrible story.

“…Is this that worst calamity?”

Maia said.

“Just an ordinary…”

“Shut up.”

Vasilisa is good just as she is now.

Don’t say unnecessary things.

What if she remembers her past memories somehow?

“…!”

Maia flinched violently.

For a moment I wondered if I was too harsh, but I was too overwhelmed with joy at Vasilisa being safe to care much.

I’ll apologize later.

“What? What’s wrong?”

Vasilisa asked curiously.

“No, it’s nothing.”

I smiled as I stood up and approached Vasilisa.

“Are you hungry?”

“Yes.”

Vasilisa nodded vigorously.

That innocent expression was exactly like when I first met Vasilisa, making me feel nostalgic.

She was such a good child back then.

“Not that kind of thing, I have something better.”

I took out a candy pouch from my bag.

It was something I had prepared from the start, since Vasilisa used to love candy.

Well, not just candy – she liked all kinds of snacks.

Come to think of it, I used to have tea parties with those children sometimes.

I wonder if that garden where we had tea parties still exists…

“What’s that?”

“It’s candy.”

I took out one candy and held it out to Vasilisa.

“It’s fine, try putting one in your mouth.”

“…”

Vasilisa approached without any suspicion.

Then instead of taking the candy with her hand, she lowered her head and took the candy from my palm with her mouth.

“…!”

Vasilisa jumped in surprise.

“Tasty, right?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“I have more, so eat slowly.”

“You’ll give me more?!”

“Yes. As much as you want.”

“…!”

Vasilisa suddenly came forward and hugged my waist.

“What’s wrong?”

“Found you!”

“Huh?”

Vasilisa lifted her head to look up at me.

Those pitch-black eyes were reflecting my image.

“You’re Noah. Right?”